It is the mad dash to the finish here at ICS for the 2012-2013 schoolyear. The number of school days left is in the single digits. I've been getting ready for summer by working on suggested reading lists for Middle School and High School. None of these books is required reading for any class over the summer, but if students or parents are looking for some suggestions, this is a great place to start. I've tried to limit the list to titles you can get through Kinokuniya or Asia Books. The lists are in alphabetical order by the last name of the author. Non-fiction titles are at the end of each list.
High School Recommended Summer Reading
This list is intended to offer ICS high schoolers ideas for what they could read over the summer. This is NOT a required reading list for any class, merely suggestions. Reading is a great way to build your English vocabulary, help you better understand the world around you, and become a more well-rounded person. And for those of you preparing for the SAT, there’s no better way to boost your SAT score than to read, read, and read some more. There are many other great books that did not make it on this list, these are just the top picks of the media center specialist and teachers at the school. Short summaries are provided, but if you would like to know more about any book www.goodreads.com is a good source for longer summaries and reviews of these books. If you’d like more ideas check out the Middle School Recommended Reading List, many of them are great books high schoolers and adults would enjoy too. Also, pick up some Picture Books to read either to yourself or out loud to friends or family. Yes, that’s right, picture books. Many picture books that aren’t easy readers have a 4th-6th grade reading level, and it is great English practice in smaller bites!
FICTION
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (historical) The story about Okonkwo, who lives in a village in Nigeria and works to gain prestige before he is forced to fight against the white missionaries, whose efforts lead to the erosion of the tribe's traditions.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (humor/sci-fi) Seconds before Earth is destroyed to make room for a galactic freeway, a young man is rescued by an alien friend who whisks him away on a space-traveling adventure.
Watership Down by Richard Adams (classic/animal/adventure) Chronicles the adventures of a group of rabbits searching for a safe place to establish a new warren where they can live in peace.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (classic) The story of the joys, sorrows, and adventures of the March family during the Civil War era years.
In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez (historical) A fictionalized account of four sisters in the Dominican Republic under the dictatorship of General Trujillo.
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson (historical) Sixteen-year-old Matilda Cook, separated from her sick mother, learns about perseverance and self-reliance when she is forced to cope with the horrors of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793.
Emma by Jane Austen (and anything else by Jane Austen) (classic/romance) The story of a charmingly self-deluded heroine whose injudicious matchmaking schemes often lead to substantial mortification
Crispin: the Cross of Lead by Avi (historical/thriller) A story in which an orphaned peasant boy in fourteenth-century England, falsely accused of theft and murder, flees his village and meets a larger-than-life juggler who holds a dangerous secret.
Murder at Midnight by Avi (mystery/historical/thriller) Falsely accused of plotting to overthrow King Claudio, scholarly Mangus the magician, along with his street-smart servant boy, Fabrizio, face deadly consequences unless they can track down the real traitor by the stroke of midnight.
Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill (fantasy/adventure) Princess Violet is plain, reckless, and quite possibly too clever for her own good. Particularly when it comes to telling stories. One day she and her best friend, Demetrius, stumble upon a hidden room and find a peculiar book. A forbidden book. It tells a story of an evil being--called the Nybbas--imprisoned in their world. The story cannot be true--not really. But then the whispers start. Violet and Demetrius, along with an ancient, scarred dragon, may hold the key to the Nybbas's triumph . . . or its demise
Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer (realistic) When sixteen-year-old Hope and the aunt who has raised her move from Brooklyn to Mulhoney, Wisconsin, to work as waitress and cook in the Welcome Stairways diner, they become involved with the diner owner's political campaign to oust the town's corrupt mayor.
Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer (and the sequel Best Foot Forward, or any other book by Bauer) (realistic) Sixteen-year-old Jenna gets a job driving the elderly owner of a chain of successful shoe stores from Chicago to Texas to confront the son who is trying to force her to retire, and along the way Jenna hones her talents as a saleswoman and finds the strength to face her alcoholic father.
Waterfall by Lisa T Bergen (and the rest of the River of Time series) (time-travel/historical/adventure/ romance) The modern, American teen Bentarrini sisters get swept back in time to the 14th century Italy finding themselves in a whole new world filled with knights, horses, armor, and swords.
Lorna Doone by Blackmore (classic/adventure/romance) An 1869 historical romance set in seventeenth-century England about the adventures of yeoman John Ridd and his beloved Lorna Doone, a beautiful, aristocratic maiden who was kidnapped as a baby by an outlaw family.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (classic/dystopian) In a society in which books are outlawed, Montag, a regimented fireman in charge of burning the forbidden volumes, meets a revolutionary school teacher who dares to read and becomes, himself, a hunted fugitive who is forced to choose between two women along with his own personal safety and intellectual freedom.
Shirley by Charlotte Brontë (classic/historical/romance) The shy, restricted Caroline Helstone, who stands as a symbol of the plight of single women, is contrasted with the life of Shirley Keeldar, an heiress whose financial independence frees her from convention in early nineteenth-century England.
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (historical) Wang Lung, a peasant in China in the 1920s, becomes a prosperous landowner with the help of his humble wife, O'Lan, with whom he shares a devotion to duty, land, and survival.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (sci-fi) Young Ender Wiggin may prove to be the military genius Earth needs to fight a desperate battle against a deadly alien race that will determine the future of the human race.
O, Pioneers! by Willa Cather (classic) Spirited, courageous, and independent, the daughter of Swedish immigrants, Alexandra assumes responsibility for the family farm - and her family - upon the death of her father. Her devotion to the harsh, forbidding prairie transforms her land and her life.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (and any of her other mysteries) (mystery) Belgian detective Hercule Poirot investigates the curious murder of millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett in a locked compartment aboard the Orient Express while the train is stranded by a snowdrift. He must find the murderer before he decides to strike again.
Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements (sci-fi) When fifteen-year-old Bobby wakes up and finds himself invisible, he and his parents and his new blind friend Alicia try to find out what caused his condition and how to reverse it.
Airman by Eoin Colfer (historical/adventure) In the 1890s on an island off the Irish coast, Conor Broekhart is falsely imprisoned and passes the solitary months by scratching designs of flying machines into the walls, including one for a glider with which he dreams of escape.
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (classic/mystery/historical/romance) Wilkie Collins's spellbinding tale of romance, theft, and murder that inspired the hugely popular detective mystery genre.
Bloomability by Sharon Creech (realistic) When her aunt and uncle take her from New Mexico to Lugano, Switzerland, to attend an international school, thirteen-year-old Dinnie discovers her world expanding.
Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens (and anything else by Dickens) (classic/mystery/romance) A mysterious boatman on the Thames, a drowned heir, a dustman and his wife, and a host of other Dickens characters populate this novel of relationships between the classes, money, greed and love.
Entwined by Heather Dixon (fantasy/fairy tale/romance) Confined to their dreary castle while mourning their mother's death, Princess Azalea and her eleven sisters join The Keeper, who is trapped in a magic passageway, in a nightly dance that soon becomes nightmarish.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (and the rest of the series) (classic/mystery) A collection of twelve mystery tales featuring legendary sleuth Sherlock Holmes, including "The Adventure of the Speckled Band," "The Red-Headed League," and "The Adventure of the Copper Beeches."
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (classic) The story of Edmond Dantes who carefully plots and carries out plans of revenge on the men responsible for his unjust fourteen-year imprisonment, which kept him from the woman he loved and the life he was supposed to live.
Silas Marner by George Eliot (classic) A bitter man living alone with his hoard of gold learns about the power of love when his riches are stolen and a beautiful child is left on his doorstep.
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (sci-fi/dystopian) In a future where humans despise clones, Matt enjoys special status as the young clone of El Patron, the 142-year-old leader of a corrupt drug empire nestled between Mexico and the United States.
Love among the Walnuts by Jean Ferris (realistic/thriller) Sandy Huntington-Ackerman's life becomes increasingly complicated when his bungling, moneygrubbing uncles try to shanghai the family fortune by poisoning a birthday cake. Luckily, those conniving uncles can't do anything right. Instead of bumping off the whole family, they put Sandy's parents--and their pet chicken--into mysterious comas. Sandy joins forces with his loyal butler and a wise and wacky nurse to save his parents and squelch his uncles' felonious high jinks.
Once upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/fairy tale/adventure) A young man with a mysterious past and a penchant for inventing things leaves the troll who raised him, meets an unhappy princess he has loved from afar, and discovers a plot against her and her father.
The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde (and the rest of the series) (humor/fantasy/adventure) Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange runs an agency for underemployed magicians in a world where magic is fading away, but when visions of the death of the world's last dragon begin, all signs point to Jennifer--and Big Magic.
The Outcasts by John Flanagan (and the rest of the Brotherband Chronicles) (adventure) Hal, Stig, and the other outcasts do not have the size and strength of the Skandians, but when they face off against the Wolves and the Sharks in an ultimate race for survival, they hope that their courage and cunning are enough to help them win in a game that everyone seems to think is a matter of life and death.
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan (and the rest of the Rangers Apprentice series) (adventure/light fantasy/spy) When fifteen-year-old Will is rejected by battle school, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt, and winds up protecting the kingdom from danger.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (fantasy) After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.
The Appeal by John Grisham (and any other book by Grisham) (thriller) Through an intricate web of conspiracy and deceit, a chemical company’s political operatives recruit a young, unsuspecting candidate. They finance him, manipulate him, market him, and mold him into a potential Supreme Court justice who the hope will overturn a ruling against them.
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix (and the rest of the series) (dystopian) In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm, until another "third" convinces him that the government is wrong.
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (fantasy/fairy tale/adventure) Princess Anidori, on her way to marry a prince she has never met, is betrayed by her guards and her lady-in-waiting and must become a goose girl to survive until she can reveal her true identity.
Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein (sci-fi) With Earth embroiled in a vast interplanetary war with the "Bugs," a young recruit in the Federal Reserves relates his experiences training in boot camp and as a junior officer in the Terran Mobile Infantry.
Dune by Frank Herbert (sci-fi/thriller) Duke Leto Atreides and his family are forced by the all-powerful emperor of the known universe to exchange their rich land for the barren planet Dune.
Chomp by Carl Hiaasen (also Hoot, Scat, and Flush) (mystery/realistic) The difficult star of the reality television show, "Expedition Survival," disappears on location in the Florida Everglades, where they were filming animals from the wildlife refuge run by Wahoo Crane's family, and Wahoo and classmate Tuna Gordon set out to find him, but they must avoid Tuna's gun-happy father.
The House of Silk: a Sherlock Holmes Novel by Anthony Horowitz (mystery/historical) Edmund Carstairs is being menaced by a strange man in a flat cap—who seems to have followed him all the way from America. In the days that follow, his home is robbed, his family is threatened, and then the first murder takes place. Almost unwillingly, Holmes and Watson find themselves being drawn ever deeper into an international conspiracy connected to the teeming criminal underworld of Boston, the gas lit streets of London, and the whispered phrase "the House of Silk"—a mysterious entity that joins the highest levels of government with the deepest depths of criminality. Holmes begins to fear that he has uncovered a conspiracy that threatens to tear apart the very fabric of society.
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (classic/historical) Follows the adventures of Jean Valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sisters starving family. A hardened criminal upon his release, he eventually reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and town mayor. Despite this, Valjean is haunted by an impulsive former crime and is pursued relentlessly by the police inspector Javert.
Redwall by Brian Jacques (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/animal/adventure) When the peaceful life of ancient Redwall Abbey is shattered by the arrival of the evil rat Cluny and his villainous hordes, Matthias, a young mouse, determines to find the legendary sword of Martin the Warrior which, he is convinced, will help Redwall's inhabitants destroy the enemy.
Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome (classic/humor)Three men (and one dog) decide to take a boat trip down the Thames, and rather humorous adventures occur to them along the way.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/adventure) Eldest of three sisters in a land where it is considered to be a misfortune, Sophie is resigned to her fate as a hat shop apprentice until a witch turns her into an old woman and she finds herself in the castle of the greatly feared wizard Howl.
There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones (realistic/romance) Eighteen-year-old Finley, seeking God, quiet time to prepare for an audition at a prestigious music conservatory, and knowledge of the land her deceased brother loved, spends senior year in Ireland, where teen movie idol Beckett Rush, equally troubled, desires her company.
Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl (fantasy/fairy tale/humor) Rather than marry a cruel king or a seemingly dim-witted prince, an enchanted goose girl endures imprisonment, capture by several ogresses, and other dangers, before learning exactly who she is.
Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl (historical/romance) In order to support her family and maintain their ancient castle in Lesser Hoo, seventeen-year-old Althea bears the burden of finding a wealthy suitor who can remedy their financial problems.
A Separate Peace by John Knowles (historical) Gene Forrester looks back fifteen years to a World War II year in which he and his best friend Phineas were roommates in a New Hampshire boarding school. Their friendship is marred by Finny's crippling fall, an event for which Gene is responsible and one that eventually leads to tragedy.
The Wolf of Tebron by C.S. Lakin (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/adventure) Joran embarks on a journey to rescue his missing wife, Charris, and he finds companionship in a wolf named Ruyah after the goose woman tells him he must solve the riddle of three keys and will wear out three pairs of shoes before battling the Moon, who has trapped Charris in a sand castle above the sea.
Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis (and the rest of the Space Trilogy) (sci-fi/thriller) A philologist is kidnapped and taken via space-ship from England to Malacandra where he escapes and goes on the run.
Till We Have Faces: a Myth Retold by C.S. Lewis (mythology) Tells the story of two princesses, one beautiful and the other unattractive, in a reworking of the classical myth of Psyche, a mortal woman so beautiful she inspired the wrath of Venus and the love of Cupid.
The Call of the Wild by Jack London (classic/survival/animal) This gripping classic story follows the adventures of the loyal dog Buck, who is stolen from his comfortable family home and forced into the harsh life of an Alaskan sled dog.
Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone by Dene Lowe (historical/mystery/humor) Petronella, who is about to celebrate her sixteenth birthday, finds out that her guardian, Uncle Augustus T. Percival, has a compulsion to eat bugs; but during the celebration, the birthday girl notices that guests are disappearing and that insects are turning up as clues.
Good Night, Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian (historical fiction) Young Willie Beech is evacuated to the country as Britain stands on the brink of the Second World War. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of old Tom Oakley - but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother back in London...
Life of Pi by Yann Martel (survival/adventure) Sixteen-year-old Pi, having spent an idyllic childhood in India as the son of a zookeeper, sets off with his family to start anew in Canada, but his life takes an unexpected turn when their ship sinks in the Pacific, leaving him adrift in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, an orangutan, a zebra, and a hyena for company.
Beauty: a Retelling of the story of the Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley (fantasy/fairy tale/romance) Kind Beauty grows to love the Beast at whose castle she is compelled to stay and through her love releases him from the spell which had turned him from a handsome prince into an ugly beast.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer (and the rest of the Lunar Chronicles) (sci-fi/fairy tale/thriller) Cinder, a gifted mechanic and a cyborg with a mysterious past, is blamed by her stepmother for her stepsister's illness while a deadly plague decimates the population of New Beijing, but when Cinder's life gets intertwined with Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle.
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (and the rest of the series) (classic) Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her.
A World without Heroes by Brandon Mull (and the rest of the Beyonders series) (fantasy/adventure) Fourteen-year-old Jason Walker is transported to a strange world called Lyrian, where he joins Rachel and a few rebels to piece together the Word that can destroy the malicious wizard emperor, Surroth.
The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen (and the rest of the Ascension trilogy) (adventure/light fantasy) In the country of Carthya, a devious nobleman engages four orphans in a brutal competition to be selected to impersonate the king's long-missing son in an effort to avoid a civil war.
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy (classic/spy/historical/adventure/romance) The mysterious figure known as the Scarlet Pimpernel, sworn to rescue helpless men, women, and children from their doom; his implacable foe, the French agent Chauvelin, relentlessly hunting him down; and lovely Marguerite Blakeney, a beautiful French exile married to an English lord and caught in a terrible conflict of loyalties—all play their parts in a suspenseful tale that ranges from the squalid slums of Paris to the aristocratic salons of London, from intrigue on a great English country estate to the final denouement on the cliffs of the French coast.
1984 by George Orwell (dystopian) Winston Smith, a worker at the Ministry of Truth in the future political entity of Oceania, puts his life on the line when he joins a covert brotherhood in rebelling against the Party that controls all human thought and action.
Dodger by Terry Pratchett (historical/mystery/humor) High comedy is mixed with mystery, adventure and deep wisdom in this tale of an unexpected coming-of-age and one remarkable boy's rise in a complex and fascinating world of Victorian London.
Divergent by Veronica Roth (and the rest of the series) (dystopian) In a future Chicago, sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomoly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (fantasy/thriller) Princess Sarene of Teod arrives in the capital city of Arelon for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, only to find her intended has died and she is considered his widow and responsible for the entire city's fate, a city that is tangled in political intrigue, a blessing that has turned to a curse, and other mysteries.
The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson (fantasy/thriller) When Emperor Ashravan’s wife is killed by an assassin, he goes into mourning for a hundred days, and if he does not emerge from his mourning, the Heritage Faction will turn into chaos. Forger Shai, having committed a crime, must forge a soul of the emperor to save her life and the empire, and her only ally is the emperor's most loyal councillor, Gatoona.
The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson (fantasy) As Wild Chalklings threaten the American Isles and Rithmatists are humanity's only defense, Joel can only watch as Rithmatist students learn the magical art that he would do anything to practice.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer (historical) Juliet Ashton, a thirty-year-old author, writes to her publisher expressing her desire to stop covering the aftermath of WWII, but Guernsey farmer Dawsey Adams invites neighbors to write to Juliet with their stories, which puts her off at first but eventually helps her find inspiration for her next book, and her life.
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott (classic/myth/legend/historical/adventure/romance) Ivanhoe, a trusted ally of Richard the Lion Hearted, returns from the Crusades to reclaim the inheritance his father denied him. Rebecca is defended by Ivanhoe against a charge of witchcraft-but it is Lady Rowena who is Ivanhoe's true love. The wicked Prince John plots to usurp England's throne, but two of the most popular heroes in all of English literature-Richard the Lion Hearted and the well-loved, famous outlaw Robin Hood-team up to defeat the Normans and regain the castle.
Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara (historical) Traces the lives, passions, and careers of Civil War leaders Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, Winfield Scott Hancock, Joshua Chamberlain, and Robert E. Lee, who all meet on the same battlefield for the first time at Fredericksburg, where they experience the battle from four very different points of view.
UnWind by Neal Shusterman (and the rest of the series) (dystopian) Three teens embark upon a cross-country journey in order to escape from a society that salvages body parts from children ages thirteen to eighteen.
The Pearl by John Steinbeck (classic) Terrible events follow the discovery of a magnificent pearl by a poor Mexican fisherman.
Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (and the rest of the Tales of Goldstone Wood) (fantasy/adventure) Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon be married, but suitors aren’t all they’re cracked up to be and among those clamoring for her heart is a dragon. A dragon who will endanger not only the Princess, but the entire known world. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil.
The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson (classic/adventure/folklore) In this swashbuckling novel set in fifteenth-century England, young Richard Shelton discovers that he has been betrayed by the guardian who raised hima man involved in the murder of his father. Seventeen-year-old Richard joins the fellowship of the Black Arrow to avenge the death, rescue the woman he loves, and participate in the struggle between the Yorks and Lancasters in the War of the Roses.
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (classic/adventure) With map in hand, Jim Hawkins sets sail to find Treasure Island, where a fortune is hidden. But evil buccaneer Long John Silver will stop at nothing to get that gold first…
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (and the rest of the series) (mystery/spy/adventure) After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules.
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/adventure) Frodo the hobbit and his companions set out to destroy the Ring of Power before the evil Sauron grasps control.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (fantasy/adventure) Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an adventure fromwhich he may never return.
The Thief by Megan Whelan Turner (and the rest of the series) (adventure/mythology/fantasy) Gen flaunts his ingenuity as a thief and relishes the adventure which takes him to a remote temple of the gods where he will attempt to steal a precious stone.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain (classic/sci-fi/adventure) Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go back in time, knowing what you know now? That is the story of a Connecticut Yankee who is magically transported back to King Arthur's time, but with the knowledge of modern technology. Will modern technology win out over the magic of Merlin, the court magician?
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/adventure) A young girl named September finds herself transported from her home in Omaha to Fairyland, where she must battle the mysterious Marquess alongside her creature-friends.
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen (realistic) In alternating chapters, two teenagers describe how their feelings about themselves, each other, and their families have changed over the years.
Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (historical/mystery) Twelve-year-old Abilene Tucker is the daughter of a drifter who, in the summer of 1936, sends her to stay with an old friend in Manifest, Kansas, where he grew up, and where she hopes to find out some things about his past.
Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman (historical) In India, in 1941, when her father becomes brain-damaged in a non-violent protest march, fifteen-year-old Vidya and her family are forced to move in with her father's extended family and become accustomed to a totally different way of life.
Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (classic/adventure) To take on the bet to go around the world in eighty days, faster than anyone had gone before was madness. If Phileas Fogg missed a single connection he would lose 120,000 pounds. But Phileas Fogg is an eccentric Englishman who lives a quiet ordered life and believes that, with technology and planning, nothing is unforeseeable. But he could not plan for the ebullient nature of his French servant, Passepartout, or for the adventures that crop up on their journey and the totally unexpected collision with romance.
The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne (classic/adventure/survival/mystery) Five Union prisoners escaping in a balloon from the siege of Richmond set down on the shores of an uncharted island.
Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt (adventure/light fantasy/folklore) When hard times among the people revive old stories of the hero Jackaroo, an innkeeper's daughter follows her own quest to unlock the secret reality behind the legend.
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (historical/thriller) In 1943, a British fighter plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France and the survivor tells a tale of friendship, war, espionage, and great courage as she relates what she must to survive while keeping secret all that she can.
Leviathan by Scott Westerfield (and the rest of the series) (steampunk) In an alternate 1914 Europe, fifteen-year-old Austrian Prince Alek, on the run from the Clanker Powers who are attempting to take over the globe using mechanical machinery, forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn who, disguised as a boy to join the British Air Service, is learning to fly genetically-engineered beasts.
By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/adventure) Achan, born a slave and gifted with "bloodvoicing," wishes to escape his life of servitude where he is forced to consume a foul potion daily, and accepts an offer to be trained for the Kingsguard, but as the voices in his head grow, Vrell Sparrow, who hides by dressing like a boy, helps him learn to control his newfound ability.
Storm Thief by Chris Wooding (dystopian) With the help of a golem, two teenaged thieves try to survive on the city island of Orokos, where unpredictable probability storms continually change both the landscape and the inhabitants.
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede (and the rest of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles) (fantasy/adventure) Bored with traditional palace life, a princess goes off to live with a group of dragons and soon becomes involved with fighting against some disreputable wizards who want to steal the dragons' kingdom.
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss (classic/survival/adventure) A shipwrecked family learns to live off the natural vegetation on their island and refuses to leave when a ship arrives to take them home.
NON-FICTION
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom (biography) An elegantly simple story about a writer getting a second chance to discover life through the death of a friend.
The Great Influenza: the Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry An ultimate tale of triumph amid tragedy, this book depicts the 1918 influenza epidemic which killed as many as 100 million people worldwide.
The Medici Giraffe: and Other Tales of Exotic Animals and Power by Marina Belozerskaya A fascinating exploration, spanning two thousand years, of the central role exotic animals have played in war, diplomacy, and the pomp of rulers and luminaries.
The Gift of Pain by Paul Brand (biography) Dr. Paul Brand shares stories from throughout his fifty-year career as a healer, which included a period working in a colony for leprosy patients in India, and discusses how his experiences have led him to look at pain as a gift from God.
7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey Describes seven habits teenagers can cultivate to help them improve their self-images, build friendships, resist peer pressure, achieve goals, get along with parents, and make other positive changes in their lives.
A Black Hole Is Not a Hole by Carolyn Decristofano An examination of black holes that discusses what they are, what causes them, how they are discovered, and more in highly readable and interesting text with graphics.
A Chance to Die: the Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot (biography) Examines the life of Amy Carmichael, discussing her childhood and youth in Ireland, and focusing on her call to become a missionary in Dohnavur, India where she worked saving lives and souls for over fifty years in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Mud, Sweat, and Tears: the Autobiography by Bear Grylls (biography) The star of the survival series "Man Vs. Wild" recounts his adventurous life, from his experiences with mountaineering and martial arts to the free-fall parachuting accident in Africa that almost left him paralyzed.
Do Hard Things: a Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex & Brett Harris Nineteen-year-old twins Alex and Brett Harris challenge teenagers to reject the "low expectations" of contemporary culture and "do hard things" for God, discussing the Bible and five ways to transform oneself and work for social change.
Moonbird: a Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip Hoose Chronicles a year in the life of rufa red knot B95, also called Moonbird, following him through his migration pattern and discussing the environmental problems that caused the rufa population to collapsed by nearly eighty percent.
Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes Us Just by Timothy Keller Timothy Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, shares his thoughts on how to live a life of faith-based justice. Recommended for those planning service projects!
Escape from North Korea: the Untold Story of Asia’s Underground Railroad by Melanie Kirkpatrick Examines the escape routes and methods used by North Koreans to flee their country and the information exchange that takes place between the escapes and those left behind.
Into Thin Air: a Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer The author relates his experience of climbing Mount Everest during its deadliest season and examines what it is about the mountain that makes people willingly subject themselves to such risk, hardship, and expense.
Endurance: Shackelton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing Provides an account of the voyage undertaken by polar explorer Ernest Shackleton and his crew aboard the Endurance in 1914-15, telling how the men survived after their ship became locked inside an island of ice and drifted for ten months before being crushed.
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson Tells the parallel stories of Daniel Burnham, the main architect of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, and serial killer Henry H. Holmes, discussing the challenges Burnham faced in creating the hugely successful White City, and looking at how Holmes used the opportunities afforded by the fair to lure victims to their deaths.
Walking with the Poor: Principals and Practices for Transformational Development by Bryant Myers Proposes an understanding of development in which the physical, social, and spiritual dimensions of life are seamlessly interrelated. Recommended for those planning service projects!
Bomb: the Race to Build – And Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin Examines the history of the atomic bomb, discussing the discovery of the behavior of uranium when placed next to radioactive material, the race to build a bomb, and the impact of the weapon on societies around the world. Written in a highly readable and enthralling style.
The Code Book: the Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography by Simon Singh A history of man's urge to uncover the secrets of codes, from Egyptian puzzles to modern day computer encryptions. Includes codes to try breaking yourself.
The History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage Throughout human history, certain drinks have done much more than just quench thirst. As Tom Standage relates with authority and charm, six of them have had a surprisingly pervasive influence on the course of history, becoming the defining drink during a pivotal historical period: beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola.
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson Recounts the experiences he had while trying to help impoverished villages in Pakistan's Karakoram Himalaya build schools for their children.
Candy Bomber: the Story of the Berlin Airlift’s “Chocolate Pilot” by Michael O. Tunnell (biography) A touching story about the efforts of US Air Force Lieutenant Gail Halvorsen to aid the children in Russian-blockaded West Berlin by dropping packages filled with candy from the air. Features personal photographs, along with letters and drawings from the children of Berlin.
Life without Limits by Nick Vujicic (biography) Nick tells the story of his physical disabilities and the emotional battle he endured trying to deal with them as a child, a teen, and a young adult.
You Were Born for This: Seven Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles by Bruce Wilkinson Discusses how anybody can perform good deeds, or "miracles," by helping others in areas of life such as finances, practical matters, relationships, and spiritual growth.
Consider the Fork: a History of How We Cook and Eat by Bee Wilson Presents a history of eating habits and food through the tools and kitchen technology used to prepare, serve, and consume food.
Walking from East to West: God in the Shadows by Ravi Zacharias (biography) Chronicles the life of Ravi Zacharias, who has dedicated his life to spreading God's world, recounting his childhood in India, travels around the world, dedication to Christianity, and other related topics.
The Lotus and the Cross: Jesus Talks with Buddha by Ravi Zacharias An imagined dialogue between Jesus and Gautama Buddha.
Middle School Summer Recommended Reading List
This list is intended to offer ICS middle schoolers ideas for what they could read over the summer. This is NOT a required reading list for any class, merely suggestions. Reading is a great way to build your English vocabulary, help you better understand the world around you, and become a more well-rounded person. There’s no better way to boost your future SAT score than to read, read, and read some more. There are many other great books that did not make it on this list, these are just the top picks of the media center specialist and teachers at the school. Short summaries are provided, but if you would like to know more about any book www.goodreads.com is a good source for longer summaries and reviews of these books. For more reading options, pick up some Picture Books to read either to yourself or out loud to friends or family. Yes, that’s right, picture books. Many picture books that aren’t easy readers have a 4th-6th grade reading level, and it is great English practice in smaller bites!
FICTION
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (classic) The story of the joys, sorrows, and adventures of the March family during the Civil War era years.
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger (and the rest of the series) (realistic) Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future.
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (animal) When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life
Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill (fantasy/adventure) Princess Violet is plain, reckless, and quite possibly too clever for her own good. Particularly when it comes to telling stories. One day she and her best friend, Demetrius, stumble upon a hidden room and find a peculiar book. A forbidden book. It tells a story of an evil being--called the Nybbas--imprisoned in their world. The story cannot be true--not really. But then the whispers start. Violet and Demetrius, along with an ancient, scarred dragon, may hold the key to the Nybbas's triumph . . . or its demise
The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Batson (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/adventure) Three ancient scrolls beckon high school student Aidan Thomas to enter a realm of knights, kings, and unusual creatures, but he must rely on instinct and his latent athletic ability to deal with the terror, tempest, and treason offered by this new world.
Close to Famous by Joan Bauer (realistic) Foster McFee dreams of having her own cooking show like her idol, celebrity chef Sonny Kroll. Macon Dillard's goal is to be a documentary filmmaker. Foster's mother Rayka longs to be a headliner instead of a back-up singer. And Miss Charleena plans a triumphant return to Hollywood. Everyone has a dream, but nobody is even close to famous in the little town of Culpepper. Until some unexpected events shake the town and its inhabitants-and put their big ambitions to the test.
Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer (realistic) When sixteen-year-old Hope and the aunt who has raised her move from Brooklyn to Mulhoney, Wisconsin, to work as waitress and cook in the Welcome Stairways diner, they become involved with the diner owner's political campaign to oust the town's corrupt mayor.
The Fairy-tale Detectives by Michael Buckley (and the rest of the series) (mystery/fantasy) Orphans Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are sent to live with an eccentric grandmother that they have always believed to be dead, and find out that the family business involves detective work and keeping real, live fairy tale characters in check.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (classic/light fantasy) Unwanted by her parents, Mary Lennox, a spoiled, selfish young girl is raised in India by servants. When cholera breaks out killing her parents and most of the servants, Mary is sent to live with a mostly absent uncle in England. It seems as though no one cares for Mary, and that Mary will never care for anyone--until she steps into the secret garden, and her life begins to change.
Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements (sci-fi) When fifteen-year-old Bobby wakes up and finds himself invisible, he and his parents and his new blind friend Alicia try to find out what caused his condition and how to reverse it.
Bloomability by Sharon Creech (realistic) When her aunt and uncle take her from New Mexico to Lugano, Switzerland, to attend an international school, thirteen-year-old Dinnie discovers her world expanding.
The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech (historical/mystery/fantasy) Orphans Naomi and Lizzie, living in America, and grown-up sisters Sybil and Nula, from Ireland, learn what life is truly about as they receive help from one another and open up their hearts to love and forgiveness.
Love that Dog by Sharon Creech (realistic/animal/poetry) A young student, who comes to love poetry through a personal understanding of what different famous poems mean to him, surprises himself by writing his own inspired poem.
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (realistic/mystery) After her mother leaves home suddenly, thirteen-year-old Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother's route, while Sal recounts the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left.
Wanderer by Sharon Creech (adventure/realistic) Thirteen-year-old Sophie and her cousin Cody record their transatlantic crossing aboard "The Wanderer," a forty-five foot sailboat, which, along with uncles and another cousin, is en route to visit their grandfather in England.
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis (historical) Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless Michigan boy living during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father--renowned bandleader H.E. Calloway.
The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli (historical) Robin, a boy destined for knighthood in medieval England, falls ill and loses the use of his legs, but after he is adopted by a monk and taught a trade, Robin finds his courage and earns recognition from the King.
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (animal/realistic) Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog Winn-Dixie.
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper (realistic) Considered by many to be mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient fifth-grader with cerebral palsy discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak for the first time.
The Twenty-one Balloons by William Pene du Bois (classic/adventure/sci-fi) Relates the incredible adventures of Professor William Waterman Sherman who in 1883 sets off in a balloon across the Pacific, survives the volcanic eruption of Krakatoa, and is eventually picked up in the Atlantic.
Dark Life by Kat Falls (and the rest of the series) (sci-fi/adventure) When fifteen-year-old Ty, who has always lived on the ocean floor, joins Topside girl Gemma in the frontier's underworld to seek and stop outlaws who threaten his home, they learn that the government may pose an even greater threat.
The Outcasts by John Flanagan (and the rest of the Brotherband Chronicles series) (adventure/light fantasy) Hal, Stig, and the other outcasts do not have the size and strength of the Skandians, but when they face off against the Wolves and the Sharks in an ultimate race for survival, they hope that their courage and cunning are enough to help them win in a game that everyone seems to think is a matter of life and death.
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan (and the rest of The Rangers Apprentice series) (adventure/light fantasy) When fifteen-year-old Will is rejected by battle school, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt, and winds up protecting the kingdom from danger.
The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman (historical/adventure) A bratty prince and his whipping boy have many adventures when they inadvertently trade places after becoming involved with dangerous outlaws.
Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff (realistic) A troublesome twelve-year-old orphan, staying with an elderly artist who needs her, remembers the only other time she was happy in a foster home, with a family that truly seemed to care about her.
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix (and the rest of the series) (dystopian) In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm, until another "third" convinces him that the government is wrong.
The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale (and the rest of the series) (fantasy) While attending a strict academy for potential princesses with the other girls from her mountain village, fourteen-year-old Miri discovers unexpected talents and connections to her homeland.
The King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry (and any other book by Henry) (animal/historical) Fictionalizes the life of the legendary eighteenth-century Godolphin Arabian, imagining his friendship with a mute stable boy, Agba, and their travels from Morocco to France to England, where he becomes a founding sire of the Thoroughbred breed.
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (historical/poetry) In a series of poems, fifteen-year-old Billie Jo relates the hardships of living on her family's wheat farm in Oklahoma during the dust bowl years of the Depression.
The Star of Kazan by Ibbotsen (historical/mystery/adventure) Annika, a twelve-year-old foundling in late nineteenth-century Vienna, inherits a trunk of costume jewelry, and soon afterwards a woman claiming to be her aristocratic mother arrives and takes her to live in a strangely decrepit mansion in Germany.
Redwall by Brian Jacques (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/animal/adventure) When the peaceful life of ancient Redwall Abbey is shattered by the arrival of the evil rat Cluny and his villainous hordes, Matthias, a young mouse, determines to find the legendary sword of Martin the Warrior which, he is convinced, will help Redwall's inhabitants destroy the enemy.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (classic/fantasy/humor) Milo, a young boy with little interest in anything, takes a trip through the Phantom Tollbooth to the Lands Beyond where he meets an enchanting cast of characters that teaches him the importance of words, numbers, ideas, creativity, and enthusiasm for life.
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling (classic/animal/folktale/fantasy) When Father Wolf and Mother Wolf find a man-cub in the jungle, they anger the greedy tiger Shere Khan by refusing to surrender it to his jaws, and rear the child as their own. But when little Mowgli grows up, the pack can no longer defend him. He must learn the secret of fire, and with the help of his friends Bagheera the panther and Baloo the bear, he faces his nemesis at last.
The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klassen (and the rest of the series) (historical) While her father works on the Manhattan Project, eleven-year-old gadget lover and outcast Dewey Kerrigan lives in Los Alamos Camp, and becomes friends with Suze, another young girl who is shunned by her peers.
The Wolf of Tebron by C.S. Lakin (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/adventure) Joran embarks on a journey to rescue his missing wife, Charris, and he finds companionship in a wolf named Ruyah after the goose woman tells him he must solve the riddle of three keys and will wear out three pairs of shoes before battling the Moon, who has trapped Charris in a sand castle above the sea.
The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis (fantasy/mythology/adventure) Teens Jack, Marco, Aly, and Cass begin a quest to find seven pieces of Atlantis' power that were hidden long ago and that will, if returned to Atlantis, save them from certain death due to the genetic abnormality that also gives them superior abilities.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (fantasy/adventure) At her birth, Ella of Frell was the unfortunate recipient of a foolish fairy's gift -- the "gift' of obedience. Ella must obey any order given to her, whether it's hopping on one foot for a day and a half, or chopping off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate. Against a bold backdrop of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella goes on a quest to break the curse -- once and for all.
The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine (fantasy/adventure) With her adventurous sister, Meryl, suffering from the Grey death, meek and timid Princess Addie sets out to find a cure.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/adventure) Two brothers and two sisters enter the magical land of Narnia through an enchanted wardrobe and find themselves caught up in the battle between Aslan, the lion King of Narnia, and the White Witch, who holds the land in her power.
Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin (fantasy/folktale/adventure) The moon is missing from the remote Village of Clear Sky, but only a young boy named Rendi seems to notice. Rendi has run away from home and is now working as a chore boy at the village inn. He can't help but notice the village's peculiar inhabitants and their problems--where has the innkeeper's son gone? Why are Master Chao and Widow Yan always arguing? What is the crying sound Rendi keeps hearing? And how can crazy, old Mr. Shan not know if his pet is a toad or a rabbit? But one day, a mysterious lady arrives at the Inn with the gift of storytelling, and slowly transforms the villagers and Rendi himself. As she tells more stories and the days pass in the Village of Clear Sky, Rendi begins to realize that perhaps it is his own story that holds the answers to all those questions.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (fantasy/folktale/adventure) Minli, an adventurous girl from a poor village, buys a magical goldfish, and then joins a dragon who cannot fly on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of bringing life to Fruitless Mountain and freshness to Jade River.
The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin (and the rest of the series) (realistic) Frustrated at her seeming lack of talent for anything, a young Taiwanese American girl sets out to apply the lessons of the Chinese Year of the Dog, those of making best friends and finding oneself, to her own life.
Rules by Cynthia Lord (realistic) Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (historical) In 1943, during the German occupation of Denmark, ten-year-old Annemarie learns how to be brave and courageous when she helps shelter her Jewish friend from the Nazis.
Goodnight, Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian (historical) Young Willie Beech is evacuated to the country as Britain stands on the brink of the Second World War. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of old Tom Oakley - but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother back in London...
The Kite Rider by Geraldine McCaughrean (historical) In thirteenth-century China, after trying to save his widowed mother from a horrendous second marriage, twelve-year-old Haoyou has life-changing adventures when he takes to the sky as a circus kite rider and meets Kublai Khan.
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (and the rest of the series) (classic/historical) Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her.
A World without Heroes by Brandon Mull (and the rest of The Beyonders series) (fantasy/adventure) Fourteen-year-old Jason Walker is transported to a strange world called Lyrian, where he joins Rachel and a few rebels to piece together the Word that can destroy the malicious wizard emperor, Surroth.
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (animal) Marty finds a lost beagle in the hills behind his West Virginia home and tries to hide it from his family and the dog's real owner, a mean-spirited man known to shoot deer out of season and to mistreat dogs.
The False Prince by Jennifer Nielson (and the rest of the series) (adventure/light fantasy) In the country of Carthya, a devious nobleman engages four orphans in a brutal competition to be selected to impersonate the king's long-missing son in an effort to avoid a civil war.
Rascal by Sterling North (animal/historical) Based on the author’s childhood, this is the story of a boy’s carefree life in a small Midwestern town at the close of World War I, and his adventures with his pet raccoon, Rascal.
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell (survival/adventure) A story of the courage and self-reliance of an Indian girl who lived alone for eighteen years on an isolated island off the California coast when her tribe emigrated and she was left behind.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (realistic) August Pullman was born with a facial deformity that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. The story begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (historical) Tree-ear, a thirteen-year-old orphan in medieval Korea, lives under a bridge near a potters' village, and longs to learn how to make the delicate celadon ceramics himself.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (adventure/survival) After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the wilderness, learning to survive initially with only the aid of a hatchet given him by his mother, and learning also to cope with his parents' divorce.
A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck (historical) During the recession of 1937, fifteen-year-old Mary Alice is sent to live with her feisty, larger-than-life grandmother in rural Illinois and comes to a better understanding of this fearsome woman.
Foster’s War by Carolyn Reeder (historical) After his older brother joins the army during World War II in order to escape the rages of an authoritarian father, eleven-year-old Foster fights his own battles on the home front.
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (and the rest of the Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus/Kane Chronicles series) (fantasy/mythology/adventure) After learning that he is the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, twelve-year-old Percy is sent to a summer camp for demigods like himself, and joins his new friends on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan (historical) In 1930, a wealthy, privileged young Mexican girl must find strength she never knew she had--and hope despite difficult circumstances--when her father is murdered and she and her mother begin work in a California labor camp.
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson (and the rest of the Alcatraz series) (humor/fantasy/adventure) On his thirteenth birthday, foster child Alcatraz Smedry receives a bag of sand which is immediately stolen by the evil Librarians who are trying to take over the world, and Alcatraz is introduced to his grandfather and his own special talent, and told that he must use it to save civilization.
UnWind by Neal Shusterman (and the rest of the series) (dystopian) Three teens embark upon a cross-country journey in order to escape from a society that salvages body parts from children ages thirteen to eighteen.
The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket (and the rest of the Series of Unfortunate Events) (humor/adventure/mystery) After the sudden death of their parents, the three Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their wits when it turns out that the distant relative who has become their guardian is determined to get their fortune.
Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket (mystery) Thirteen-year-old Lemony Snicket begins his apprenticeship with S. Theodora Markson of the secretive V.F.D. in the tiny dot of a town called Stain'd By The Sea, where he helps investigate the theft of a statue.
The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare (historical/survival) Left alone to guard the family's wilderness home in eighteenth-century Maine, a boy is hard-pressed to survive until local Native Americans teach him their skills.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (historical) Kit Tyler, feeling out of place in the Puritan household of her aunt, befriends an old woman considered a witch by the community and suddenly finds herself standing trial for witchcraft in 1687 Connecticut.
The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer (and the rest of the Enola Holmes series) (mystery/historical) Enola Holmes, much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, must travel to London in disguise to unravel the disappearance of her missing mother.
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (historical fiction/sci-fi) As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seem to defy the laws of time and space.
Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (and the rest of the Tales of Goldstone Wood) (fantasy/adventure) Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon be married, but suitors aren’t all they’re cracked up to be and among those clamoring for her heart is a dragon. A dragon who will endanger not only the Princess, but the entire known world. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil.
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (and the rest of the series) (mystery/spy/adventure) After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules.
The Cay by Theodore Taylor (and the rest of the series) (survival/adventure/historical) Philip, an adolescent white boy who is blinded in a torpedo attack at sea during World War II, acquires a new type of vision, courage, and love when he is stranded on a tiny Caribbean island with Timothy, a kind, elderly black man.
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/adventure) Frodo the hobbit and his companions set out to destroy the Ring of Power before the evil Sauron grasps control.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (fantasy/adventure) Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an adventure from which he may never return.
The Thief by Megan Whelan Turner (and the rest of the series) (adventure/mythology/fantasy) Gen flaunts his ingenuity as a thief and relishes the adventure which takes him to a remote temple of the gods where he will attempt to steal a precious stone.
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban (realistic/humor) Ten-year-old Zoe Elias, who longs to play the piano but must resign herself to learning the organ instead, finds that her musicianship has a positive impact on her workaholic mother, her jittery father, and her school social life.
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente (and the rest of the series) (fantasy/adventure) A young girl named September finds herself transported from her home in Omaha to Fairyland, where she must battle the mysterious Marquess alongside her creature-friends.
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen (realistic) In alternating chapters, two teenagers describe how their feelings about themselves, each other, and their families have changed over the years.
Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen (and the rest of the series) (mystery/realistic) Thirteen-year-old Sammy's penchant for speaking her mind gets her in trouble when she involves herself in the investigation of a robbery at the "seedy" hotel across the street from the seniors' building where she is living with her grandmother.
Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (historical/mystery) Twelve-year-old Abilene Tucker is the daughter of a drifter who, in the summer of 1936, sends her to stay with an old friend in Manifest, Kansas, where he grew up, and where she hopes to find out some things about his past.
Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool (historical/adventure) At the end of World War II, Jack Baker, a landlocked Kansas boy, is suddenly uprooted after his mother's death and placed in a boy's boarding school in Maine. There, Jack encounters Early Auden, the strangest of boys. When the boys find themselves unexpectedly alone at school, they embark on a quest on the Appalachian Trail in search of the great black bear. But what they are searching for is sometimes different from what they find. They will meet truly strange characters, each of whom figures into the pi story Early weaves as they travel, while discovering things they never realized about themselves and others in their lives.
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (and the rest of the series) (steampunk) In an alternate 1914 Europe, fifteen-year-old Austrian Prince Alek, on the run from the Clanker Powers who are attempting to take over the globe using mechanical machinery, forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn who, disguised as a boy to join the British Air Service, is learning to fly genetically-engineered beasts.
The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood (and the rest of the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series) (humorous/historical) Fifteen-year-old Miss Penelope Lumley, a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, is hired as governess to three young children who have been raised by wolves and must teach them to behave in a civilized manner quickly, in preparation for a Christmas ball.
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede (and the rest of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles) (fantasy/adventure) Bored with traditional palace life, a princess goes off to live with a group of dragons and soon becomes involved with fighting against some disreputable wizards who want to steal the dragons' kingdom.
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss (classic/survival/adventure) A shipwrecked family learns to live off the natural vegetation on their island and refuses to leave when a ship arrives to take them home.
Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates (historical) Traces the life of eighteenth-century African prince Amos Fortune, who, after being captured by slave traders, was brought to Massachusetts where he was a slave until he was able to buy his freedom at the age of sixty.
NON-FICTION
Juggling for the Complete Klutz by John Cassidy (hobbies) The book takes readers from the absolute beginning (Step One: The Drop) all the way to Five-Object Juggling.
J.R.R. Tolkien: the Man Who Created the Lord of the Rings by Michael Coren (biography) This biography tells about Tolkien’s early life in South Africa, the untimely death of his parents, and his relationship with his wife and children.
Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl (biography/humor) Presents humorous anecdotes from the author's childhood, including his summer vacations in Norway and life at an English boarding school.
Going Solo by Roald Dahl (biography) As a young man working in East Africa for the shell Company, Roald Dahl recounts his adventures living in the jungle and later flying a fighter plane in World War II.
A Black Hole Is Not a Hole by Carolyn Decristofano An examination of black holes that discusses what they are, what causes them, how they are discovered, and more in highly readable and interesting text with graphics.
Moonbird: a Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip Hoose Chronicles a year in the life of rufa red knot B95, also called Moonbird, following him through his migration pattern and discussing the environmental problems that caused the rufa population to collapsed by nearly eighty percent.
Red Scarf Girl by Ji Li Jiang (biography) The author tells about the happy life she led in China up until she was twelve years old when her family became a target of the Cultural Revolution, and discusses the choice she had to make between denouncing her father and breaking with her family, or refusing to speak against him and losing her future in the Communist Party.
Chinese Cinderella: the True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah (biography) The author tells the story of her painful childhood in China where she lived until the age of fourteen with her father, stepmother, and siblings, all of whom considered her bad luck because her mother died shortly after giving birth to her.
Invincible Louisa: the Story of the Author of Little Women by Cornelia Meigs (biography) Presents the life of Louisa May Alcott, who was able through the success of her writings to achieve one thing that was very important to her--to be able to take care of all her family.
Bomb: the Race to Build – And Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin Examines the history of the atomic bomb, discussing the discovery of the behavior of uranium when placed next to radioactive material, the race to build a bomb, and the impact of the weapon on societies around the world. Written in a highly readable and enthralling style.
Chasing Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson Recounts the twelve-day pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth, covering the chase through Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, with a discussion of Abraham Lincoln as a father, husband, and friend that examines the impact of his death on those close to him.
Three Cups of Tea by Sarah Thomson Adapts for young readers Greg Mortenson's book in which he recounts the experiences he had while trying to help impoverished villages in Pakistan's Karakoram Himalaya build schools for their children.
Candy Bomber: the Story of the Berlin Airlift’s “Chocolate Pilot” by Michael O. Tunnell (biography) A touching story about the efforts of US Air Force Lieutenant Gail Halvorsen to aid the children in Russian-blockaded West Berlin by dropping packages filled with candy from the air. Features personal photographs, along with letters and drawings from the children of Berlin.
